1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to alarms for warning of attack or intrusion, and particularly to hand-held, portable alarms that may be easily activated in the event of an attack or other hazardous occurrence.
2. Background Information
With the growth of population and the increasing size of cities around the world, individuals face an increasing risk of being subjected to violent crimes of a personal nature. These crimes can range from robberies and muggings to sometimes brutal physical attacks. Both men and women run the risk of being a victim of violent crime. Frequently the attacker is armed, leaving the victim helpless to retaliate. Responses to these dangers vary, although people are routinely advised to avoid areas where the risk of crime is greatest, and especially to avoid such areas after dark. Nevertheless, people sometimes find themselves leaving the workplace late at night, or trying to get some outdoor exercise in a secluded area, and, despite every precaution, they may still end up the victim of a violent crime.
One response to this threat is to carry a weapon. This solution, however, is not always workable, for a variety of reasons. Many argue that confronting an armed criminal with your own weapon may make a confrontation even more dangerous. Indeed, many experts advise against using weapons, such as guns, MACE, knives, etc. for self defense in a close struggle, since they may be turned against the victim and put the victim in greater danger.
Although resistance to a criminal is generally not recommended, it is often advised that drawing attention to the situation, as by screaming or yelling, may scare off a potential attacker. Similarly, distracting the attacker, even for only an instant, may provide the victim an opportunity to avoid harm. Many people, however, when faced with an attack, are too frightened to move or make a sound. Screaming or yelling may also provoke a violent response from the attacker.
To address this situation, a number of personal alarms have been developed in recent years. These personal alarms are battery operated devices that generate a very loud sound intended to draw attention to the immediate vicinity of the attack, and frighten the attacker into abandoning his plans and running away. Although such devices can be effective, there are several potential drawbacks to the use of most of the devices currently available. Chief among them is that two hands are generally required to activate these personal alarms. For example, one popular design requires that the user pull a pin from the alarm housing to activate the alarm. This requires using one hand to grasp the pin while the other holds the housing. An assailant attacking from the rear, however, may grab one or both arms of the intended victim, making it difficult or impossible to activate the alarm. A struggle by the victim in an attempt to activate the alarm may only result in greater injury to the victim.
In addition, many alarms have mechanical elements, including levers, springs and switches, that are subject to corrosion or the buildup of dirt, which may result in a malfunction at the single time when they are needed to work as expected. When the victim using the device is actually attacked, the device may fail because a mechanical element has been damaged through inadvertence or neglect.
The personal alarm security device of the present invention overcomes difficulties described above and affords other features and advantages heretofore not available.